Indicating system



NOV. 14, 19331 J H|LL|ARD 1,935,446

INDICATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 50, 1929 Inventor John D. HLLLLard, by Wm His Attorney.

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 I NDICATING SYSTEM John D. Hilliard, Glens Falls, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a

New York corporation 0t Application September 30, 1929 j Serial No. 396,380

4 Claims. (01. m 311 Myinvention relates to indicating systems, and more particularly to means for indicating, by verbal announcement, the position of movable elements and devices such as thecircuit breakers of a power distribution system.

In large stations of power distribution systems it frequently occurs that there are many oil switches, circuitbreakers and the like which are located in and about the station and all of which are under the supervision of a singlefoperator. The operator may be provided with remote control means at his desk for controlling the various devices, or the different devices may be controlled manually from the point at which it is located in which case the operator is provided with an assistant who may effectthe different operations under his instruction. In either case it is desirable that the operator be provided at his desk with a reliable indication of the operation performed.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for verbally announcing at the desk of the operator th operation performedeither by the assistant or by the remote control equip- .ment. This announcement in accordance with the invention may be made by means of a suitable loud speaker located on the operators desk and which is arranged to be connected at any time with any one of a number of transmitting means each of which may be associated with one of the devices under'the operators supervision.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby a suitable microphone or transmitter may be actuated in accordance with a record upon which verbal signals or messages, are recorded, each actuation being in accordance with the instant position of the device with which the transmitter is associated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby a plurality of phonograph needles may be controlled in accordance with the position of the device to be supervised, each needle being simultaneously actuated into engagement with a portion of a phonographic record and with a microphone when the switch is actuated to a position to which the message recorded on the respective portion of the record corre-' sponds, and the other of the needles is disengaged from the record and from the microphone.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be un-.

derstood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the single figure represents an embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawing I have indicated in 'upon'the opposite sides thereof.

the single figure thereofla loud speaker I which may be located upon the operators desk in a station of a power distribution system. At 2 and 3' I have indicated generally oil switches which may be locatedabout the station or in theneighborhood thereof each oil. switch being provided with an arm 4 under the control of a closing coil 5 and trip coil 6 whereby its operation may be efiected. V These'coils 5 and 6 are arranged for alternate 'energizati-on from the supply bus 7 throughmanually operated switches 9, one of which is associated with each of the remoteoil switches. A suitableto le mechanism 10 is associated with each switch and operated under the control of the magnets 5 and 6 to operate thearm 4 and hence the switch from either position to the other and to retain it in therposition to which it .is last operated.

vThus, for example, if it be assumed that the coil 6 is energized by the operation of the switch 9 to the right, the toggle 11 of the mechanism 10. will be caused to collapse causing the lever 12 to move in a counterclockwise direction, the arm 4 to be lowered and the oil switch to be opened. If the coil 5 thenbecomes energized, as by operation of the switch 9 to the left, its

operationiwill cause the arm 12 to be operated in a clockwise direction, the arm 4 to be raised and the switch to be closed. Inthis position thetoggle 11 will lock, as in the position shown, and retain the arm" 12 in'the position indicated in the drawing. h

To provide means wherebylthe operation of each of the different switches or remote devices may be indicated at the dispatchers station, a microphone-or other suitable transmitter 13 is associated with each of the switches. Each of these microphones is, connected through a common bus 14 and an individual bus 15 leading to the dispatchers station, .each individual bus being connected with, the common bus at the dispatchers station through one of a plurality of jacks 16. The loud speaker 1 'atthe operators station is 'provided'with a cord and plug 17 whereby by insertion fof the plug in a corresponding jack, the 'loud speaker may be .connected with ,themicrophone which is associated with any desired remote switch.

Also associated with each of, the remote switches is a phonographic record 18 arranged .to be operated by means of a motor 19 through tions thereof, but is indicated in the drawing as in the form of a 'disk having signals recorded Cooperating with the record is a pair of needles 21 and 22, and each needle is arranged in any suitable way to mechanically actuate the microphone. In the form shown the needles 21 and 22 are pivoted at the lower end thereofas indicated at 23 and 24 respectively, and each of the needles is provided with a projecting member 25 and 26 respectively which cooperates with a pin 2'7 which is in mechanical engagement with the diaphragm of the microphone. The needles 21 and 22 are connected together by a member 34 which is hingedly secured to each of the needles. Also pivoted at the point 23 is a control rod 28 having a bifurcated end portion 29 which straddles a pin carried by the rod 4 of the oil switch. This rod extends between the members 31 and 33 which project from the needle 21 and carries spring members 30 and 32 upon opposite sides thereof which engage the respective members 31 and 33 when the rod 4 is moved in either direction. Thus, when the rod 4 is carried upward due to energization of the coil 5, the rod 28 will be carried upward about its pivot. The spring 30 will engage the member 31 and thereby actuate the needle 21 about the pivot 23 causing the arm 25 to engage the pin 27 thereby to actuate the diaphragm of the microphone in accordance with the vibra tions of the needle; The needle 21 is simultaneously operated into engagement with one side of the phonographic record. The spring 30 serves to render the connection between the phonographic record and the microphone through the needle somewhat resilient. When the rod 4 is operated downward a spring member 32 carried by the rod 28 engages the member 33 carried by the needle causing the needle 21 to be rocked in a clockwise direction about its pivot thereby to disengage it from the record and from the microphone. At the same time through the connection 27 the needle 22 is carried into engagement with the record and the microphone, the spring member 32 serving, in this instance, to make the connection between the record and the microphone through the needle 22 somewhat resilient.

Thus, if the operator desires to cause the operation of any remote device, he will first insert the plug 17 into one of the jacks 16 corresponding to the device to-be operated. He. will then cause the corresponding switch 9 to be operated, let us assume, to the right. 'Through obvious circuits, the motor 19 and the trip coil 6 will be energized from the station, bus '7, the motor causing operation of the record and the magnet 6 causing the switch 2to be tripped and the rod 4 to be operated to its lower position. The needle 22 will then be caus ed to engage the record 18 and to actuate the microphone in accordance withthe signal recorded upon the record. This signal "may comprise any verbal message and may, for example, include thenumber of the switch and the position to which it is actuated. Had the operator caused the switch' 9 to be operated to the left, the motor 19 would similarly be energized and also the closing coil 5. The closing coil 5 causes operation of the rod 4 thereby to close the switch and hence the needle 21 will be actuated into engagement with the record and with the microphone whereas the needle 22 will be operated to disengage the record and the microphone. 'A corresponding verbal message will then be produced from the loud speaker 1. 4 While I have shown the record 18 asoperated by a motor under control of the switch 9, it will be understood that this is 'by way of indicating one means whereby the record may be operated, and that many means may be provided whereby the record may be operated in response to each operation of the switch.

' While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made in the circuit arrangement and in the instrumentalities employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I therefore contemplate'in'the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: g i

1. In combination, 'an element operable to ei ther of two positions, a phonographic'record in the form of a disk having a signal recorded'on each side thereof, each signal corresponding re spectively to a position of said element, operating means for said record, a pair of needles for respectively engaging opposite sides of said record, a microphone and means controlled by said element for operating either needle into engagement with the record and in operative relation to said microphone andfor, disengaging the other needle from the record and from said microphone in accordance with the position of the element.

2. In combination, an element operable to either of two positions, a phonograph'ic reccrd in the form or" a disk having a signal recorded on each side thereof, each signal corresponding respectively to a position or" said element, operating means for said record, a microphone, apair of needles for respectively engaging opposite sides of said record, and means controlled by i a position of the switch, operating means for the record, a microphone associated with the switch, sound reproducing means in said station, means for connecting said sound reproducing means to the microphone, and means operable when the switch is operated for 'operatively associating the microphone with the portion of the rec- 0rd corresponding to the position of the switch thereby to cause said sound reproducing means to reproduce a message corresponding tothe position of the switch.

4. In combination, an electric switch operable to either of two positions, a reccrd'having a plurality of messages recorded thereon, each message corresponding to a position of said switch, operating means for the record, a microphone, means controlled by the movement of said electric switch to either of its positions for operatively associating said microphone with the portion of said record on which is recorded the message corresponding to the position to which the switch'is moved.

JOHN D. HILLIARD.

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